Ukrainian wonder woman Etolubov released her first album, “VSELUBOV.” The title means, “Everything is love, all is love.”
Thus, with the help of this single, she confirms the success of her work, expressing well the countries from Eastern Europe and those where anyone can identify oneself.
Having this single “Attraction” score a smashing success and then go international, with people just refusing to stop listening to it as it climbed the charts, “VSELUBOV” now arrives with a weighty expectation, but, as you immediately see, it reveals a before unheard side of music to the listeners.
Etolubov’s triumph in his first song, “Attraction,” which reached 33rd place in the world top 100 in Shazam and 4th in the alternative chart, showed the beginning of a new trend in pop music.
The track’s global recognition brought forth by endorsements from fashion icons such as Law Roach, the people’s stylist Zendaya’s iconic stylist, among many other celebrities, epitomizes the universal appeal of Etolubov’s melodies.
“VSELUBOV” is much more than simply an album; instead, it is a massive variety of music that can satisfy the musical soul of any listener. Her singing, which is warm in timbre and delicate in articulation, imparts a rhythmic flow and tempos that make her appear lyrical and appropriately dynamic, rendering her voice the primary force behind the album.
The choice of song represents her ability to express emotions or plots in a straightforward manner and different ways, whether in a mellow tone or an up-tempo song.
The project “VSELUBOV” combines the best pop hymns with unique Russian content to make the music of a poet with the spirit of a time.
In the album’s track arrangement, electronic turntables combine with acoustic instruments in a careful choice, which contributes to the vocalist’s timbre expression and enhances the piece as a whole.
With her amazing spending skills, she gives another aspect and broader understanding of eternal love and relationships. Each song is her personal, so anyone with a heart will sympathize.
The visual aspect, including the 001SHOW live video series shot in Bali, connects to Etolubov’s sound, rich with musical storytelling, creating the whole experience with an extra layer of sensory aesthetics.
It shows the artist’s emotional technique, combining her visual art with her sound identity to conceptualise a more rounded artistic experience.
With “VSELUBOV,” she gets under my skin as an artist. She is confident in her regional identity and willing to mix and match international music styles into a harmonious mix.
Her album will capture the attention of those who love her country’s music and others worldwide because she is a rising star on the international pop screen with a unique style and flair.
So who is she, this mysterious rising star of the world pop scene?
Hello! What does your nickname ETOLUBOV mean?
The answer is in the album title. Translated into English, Etolubov means “This is love.” It is pronounced as “eto lyubov’,” but it’s spelled separately—that’s my schtick. Love is the key theme of my songs.
My professional tenet is that everything my team and I do is only out of love for the audience. Finally, I am originally from Odesa, Ukraine. My real name is Liubov Fomenko. Liubov is a beautiful Ukrainian name that means love. So everything is very connected and not accidental.
What is your nationality and ethnicity?
I have the blood of many countries and peoples. I am Ukrainian, but my ancestors come from the Middle East from Arab countries. I also have some Turkish and Greek blood.
Yes, sure! Your image and appearance combine European sophistication, melancholy, and Eastern mystery.
Thank you! That’s nice to hear. Maybe that’s why I feel at home both in Europe and in the countries of the East. I like Arabic music, culture, and aesthetics. I know Eastern traditions well and respect them. It’s all palpable on the VSELUBOV album. It is European neo-pop but with the addition of a large number of various oriental instruments—darbuka, saz, and duduk.
We couldn’t help but notice that some people in your comments keep asking whether you have had plastic surgery or not.
Ahah! No, I’m all for natural beauty. As they say, I have everything of my own.
Do you live in Odesa?
I was born and spent a happy childhood in Odessa. It is a beautiful, cosy city on the shores of the Black Sea. I am very grateful to my parents for the memories that have remained with me forever. My parents are entrepreneurs. Their lives were connected with trade.
Their example helps me even now because, in the music industry, you will not succeed if you are immersed all the time in creativity and writing songs only. You must also be a businessman who can plan and build relationships in a team.
Returning to the topic, I have lived in Kyiv long.
Afterwards, I lived in Paris for almost ten years. It is the city where my taste and understanding of various world cultures were formed. It’s no secret that Paris is the world capital of fashion.
This area has fascinated me for a long time. Now, I can call myself a cosmopolitan. We have just released an album and have received many requests for performances, promotional activities, and filming. We have a growing fan base in India and Turkey, so I plan to spend a lot of time in Istanbul. My career comes first right now, and I’m ready for planes to hotels to be my home. As I said, I feel good wherever “my people” are.
What about personal life? Does such a lifestyle complicate relationships?
I try to talk about my personal life as little as possible, but lately, there have been too many questions of this kind. So, okay, in this interview, I’ll be honest: I’m not in a relationship right now.
But I’m not one of those singers who are disappointed in their career and sacrifice everything for success, popularity, and stage. I believe that true love can overcome the test of distance. I even have a song about it. It is called “Римую”. We recorded it together with the incredible Ukrainian artist Maks Barskykh.
It is a very relevant topic for Ukrainian couples in love because they cannot be close to each other because of the war. Many women were forced to go abroad, and men stayed at home because they had to defend our country.
Yes, we’re familiar with this song. The music video art director is Alan Badoyev, the most famous Ukrainian music video maker. You have already shot many clips together with him. Is he your producer?
No, I don’t have a producer. I’m an independent artist who does everything myself with my small, dedicated team. Alan is a wonderful person who helped me first imagine and then create the visual Universe of ETOLUBOV.
But we never talked about him becoming my producer. I think he already has something to do) I decided from the beginning of my career that I would remain an independent artist. Freedom has its price, though. As I said, you must immerse yourself in everything – distribution, contracts, promo. But I have a keen interest in it.
You don’t say! It must be quite an exhilarating experience to watch your song become a world hit, right?
Do you mean “Attraction?” Indeed, I do. There are a couple of versions of this track, correct? You’re correct. Initially, it was called Pritiazhenie, and it went viral thanks to a remix. The English version came out next and continued attracting listenership and recognition globally.
Soon, several versions of this song will be released in other languages. It’s incredible! Two years have passed since its release, and the song is still gaining momentum. Just a month ago, a reel with “Attraction” went viral again.
It has over 20 million views in Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, UAE, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, and India. People listen to this song everywhere! My friends from Dubai send me videos and write: “Lyuba, this is a tremendous success! Your song is heard literally from every corner.” But it’s still hard to believe this is happening to me.
Are you afraid to become a one-hit wonder?
No. There are a lot of great songs on the new album that can be successful singles in their own right. Flowering, Таю, This is Love. I believe in each of these songs, and I think people will love them too. We need to give it some time.
“Pritiazhenie/Attraction” didn’t take off immediately, either. You never know what will happen tomorrow. I can only work hard and thank God for allowing me to be heard.
